After China Post signed a strategic collaboration with Alibaba, Cainiao and China Post's collaboration is a significant step in the posting and delivering services.
Cainiao and China Post announced that they would conduct their strategic collaboration, building a new delivery network. Specifically, they will set up 50,000 delivery sites in the future, covering cities and villages. Moreover, changing and refunding are free in their delivery points. Lastly, based on the post office industry's infrastructure, they will serve customers for 365 days a year, without rest.
Why does Cainiao need to collaborate with China Post? First, China Post is different to other delivery firms, being state-owed, with the longest history, largest size and the broadest coverage. Based on China Post's 8,000 pickup-delivery departments and 0.42 million Youlegou sites – a shopping service platform combined with online shopping and offline retail – customers will benefit more from its participation.
Second, in a time of rapid development, clients have a higher demand for changing and refunding. The combination of Cainiao's Internet delivery and China Post's postal networks will offer customers more convenient delivery services.
Regarding the express industry's competition pattern, this collaboration might play a positive role in Cainiao and China Post's operations, gradually widening the gap between them and other express firms.